It is time for a new car. I really need to just buck up and go do it. So, Rob and I had the afternoon and I went and drove one at a dealership. This is a car I can afford. I don’t need the options that were in the one we drove yesterday and that brings it right down into my price range.
I had hoped to buy a slightly used one but they retain their value pretty well and the slightly used ones are almost as much as a new one is.
It’s really a change from the Taurus, with its 6 cylinder engine and huge passenger compartment. It took a few minutes to get used to having to actually push the gas pedal to get the car to go; if the Taurus is in gear, then the car is in motion. But, it will be nice to more than double my miles per gallon. And, I only commute in the car. Our luxury vehicle is Rob’s big manly F150 pickup.
The dealership we went to yesterday was really messed up. They don’t have a show room and their salesmen were sitting outside in the heat and I felt sorry for the heavy guy that was helping us because I made him walk all over the lot, looking for the color I wanted with the options I wanted. But, hey, he’s the one that told me they had it on the lot. And, he’s the one that found out, after we’d walked all over, that they didn’t.
And, if your dealership is all messed up, then you should be offering deals, right? Something to compensate for the inconvenience? But, there’s a dealership up north that is offering better prices and they called me last night and we scheduled an appointment for me to go meet someone and receive the VIP treatment on Friday morning. Me and the VIP treatment. Who’da figured, huh?
Now, I need to get with the LQS and see what we can do about getting my classes to happen. It would be really nice to have that bit of extra income every month if I’m going to have a car payment.
And, I need to just settle down because life happens at its own pace and I can’t make it rush, no matter how hard I try.
Be well and have a great Wednesday.
Lane
6 comments:
If you've been happy with the Taurus, check out the Ford Fusion Hybrid as an option. I have the '08 non-hybrid v6 and it has been a great, reliable car. My partner bought the '12 Hybrid two months ago, and we've been extremely pleased. Plus they are still offering 0% & rebates on the Ford. And no, I don't work for Ford. LOL
I hope your search goes well. I was disappointed when I went to look for a car in 2009-- I made a short list; good payload size, good gas mileage, reliable. There was only one car that met all of my short "must have" list-- the Honda Fit. And it's kind of ugly. But as soon as I drove it, I fell in love, it's got great windows, I feel like I'm taking a tour every time I drive somewhere. And I could put a washing machine in the back, if I turned it on its side.
My husband bought himself a Volt almost a year ago. He works 36 miles from home and was driving that back and forth every day. Our gas bill was nearly as much as the car payment on the Volt is now. He LOVES it!! He plugs it in when he gets home from work and in 4 hours it is charged and the charge costs him about 44 cents. His company put a charging station in for him (they are an alternate energy company anyway) and he plugs in when he gets to work. (He could use a regular plug, but it takes 8 hours then). If he wants to make a longer trip than that, it holds 9 gallons of gas that will run a generator. His mileage to date is OVER 250 mpg. If he "runs out of charge" the mileage drops to about 45 or 50 mpg. He has only put a gallon of gas in his car in the last month and then it was because he drove to Austin for a game. It is not a cheap car, especially since my husband loves all the bells and whistles, but despite the fact that oil companies are trying to kill it, he has really loved it! I've ridden in a Prius that a friend owns. She loves that too!
When you first mentioned looking for a different car, I was looking also. I noticed that the newer used cars cost as much if not more than new cars, so I bit the bullet and bought a new Kia Soul. If I drove very far, I'd probably have gotten a different car, but I like my Kia so far. Good luck in your search. Thanks for sharing.
cindy
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Prius. I was formerly a Honda person and had a Civic Hybrid, but switched to the Prius last year and have never looked back. I commute 20 miles one way to work and almost all of it is Interstate and get 49 to 50 miles per gallon. I fill up about 2 to 3 times per month depending on any extra driving I might do. I don't think you'll regret it, I know I haven't.
Wow, that dealership was messed up indeed. It's quite unthinkable for a dealership not to have their own showroom, isn't it? Anyway, it's a good thing you found a better one near your vicinity. And the way they treated you shows how much priority they give to their customers. That's one of the things one should look for when looking around for a new car from any dealer. I hope you found the car you've wanted and hopefully, it'll last for a long time for you.
Spartan Toyota
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